Coin counting and packaging means



April 4, 1961 J. G. CONDIS 2,977,735

COIN COUNTING AND PACKAGING MEANS Filed Dec. 5, 1958 Tla.E|.

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A TTORNEYS nited States The present invention relates to a device for handling coins and is particularly directed to the stacking of a predetermined number of coins and transferring same to a receptacle such as a conventional coin roll.

In the manual packaging or rolling of coins it is highly desirable to provide counting or stacking aids whereby a predetermined number of coins may be rapidly stacked. Although various devices for this purpose are known in the art, the placement of stacked coins in a roll yet presents difiiculties in the handling of stacks of coins. The present invention provides a device for stacking coins in predetermined numbers without counting of the coins and also provides for depositing the stack in a conventional coin roll without handling of the coins. The above is herein accomplished with a simple and inexpensive device which is readily portable so as, to find maximum utility in the field. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for stacking a predetermined number of coins and depositing same in a coin roll.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for receiving a predetermined number of coins in a stack to the top thereof and having roll receiving means for ready deposit of stacked coins in a roll.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide coin stacking and packaging means having only two elements of simple and inexpensive structure.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adapted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a projected view of the invention in position for coin stacking.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken axially of the invention and showing same in engagement with a prefabricated coin roll or package.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the invention in engagement with a prefabricated coin roll or package in position filling the latter with stacked coins from the former.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the invention in an axial plane and showing the roll engaging member extended.

Considering the illustrated embodiment of the invention in some detail and referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that there is provided a hollow cylinder or tube 11 having an interior flange 12 about the bottom thereof. This cylinder or tube 11 has an internal bore 13 with a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of a particular type coin to be stacked therein. For the stacking of dimes, for example, the diameter of bore 13 is slightly greater than the diameter of a new dime so that Patented Apr. 4, 1961 dimes will readily slide into the bore from the top of the tube 11. Also, the internal longitudinal dimension of the tube 11 is made exactly equal to the thickness of a predetermined number of dimes. In practice, fifty dimes are usually rolled together in a five dollar roll so that in such instance the distance from the planar open top of the tube 11 to the upper side of the tube flange 12 is equal to the thickness of fifty dimes.

Although the tube 11 has a smooth interior bore from the top to the flange 12, the exterior of the tube is inset in the form of an axially elongated indentation 14 from a point slightly below the top of the tube to a point substantially displaced below same. This tube indentation 14 thus defines an external flange 16 about the top of the tube and the axial extent of the indentation may in practice be of the order of one-half inch. The tube 11 may be formed of a plastic which is preferably transparent, although not necessarily so, and may be quite thin-walled so that the overall size is only slightly greater than that of a stack of coins adapted to fit therein. The tube is quite lightweight and yet very sturdy as a result of the cylindrical configuration thereof.

As a further element of the invention there is provided a cylindrical extension 17 slidably mounted about the upper open end of the tube 11. This extension 17 is formed with an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube 11 and in particular to the flange 16 so as to slide axially of the tube. At the lower end of the extension 17 there is formed an inwardly extending flange 18 having a radial depth substantially equal to the radial depth of the tube indentation 16. The extension 17 is disposed about the upper end of the tube about the tube flange 16 with the extension flange 18 disposed in the tube indentation 16. Additionally, the axial length of the extension 17 is exactly equal to the distance from the top of the tube to the bottom of the tube indentation. It will be seen that with the foregoing relative dimensions of tube and extension, full engagement of same places the extension entirely about the tube with the extension top aligned with the planar tube top. This retractedposition of the extension '17 is illustrated in Figure 1. From the above-described retracted position of the extension same is movable to an extended position by sliding axially on the tube until the extension flange 18 engages the tube flange 16. This extended position is illustrated in Figure 4.

As regards the use of the present invention, same is best adapted to receive coins in the retracted position of the extension 17, as shown in Figure l. Coins may be manually placed in the open top of the tube 11 until the tube is filled and there will then be stacked a predetermined number of coins in the tube bore 13 extending from the flange 12 to the tube top. Note here that the flush arrangement of tube and extension during stacking provides for an easy filling operation in that, with the tube filled,'a planar surface is provided across the top thereof whereby the sense of feel is sulficient to guarantee proper filling without visual measurement or checking being required.

The further operation of rolling the coins or depositing the stack of predetermined number in a receptacle such as a prefabricated coin roll 21 is easily and rapdily accomplished with the present invention without possibility of mishap. To carry out the transfer of the stacked coins to a prefabricated roll the extension 17 is slid axially of the tube to a position of maximum extension, as shown in Figure 4, for example, wherein the tube flange 16 and extension flange 13 engage. The prefabricated roll 21 having a preclosed end 22 and open unfolded end 23 is placed in axial engagement with the tube as shown in Figure 2. The open roll end 23 is inserted in the tube extension 17 to abut the open end of the tube, as shown in 3 Figure 2. The prefabricated roll 21 just fits in the tube extension so that a firm engagement results therebetween and in this position the tube and roll are disposed in axial alignment and communication. Actual transfer of the stacked coins from the tube to roll is accomplished by inverting the engaging tube and roll so that the tube points downward into the roll whereby the stack of coins slide by gravity downward into the roll. This inverted position is illustrated in Figure 3.

The emptied tube is easily disengaged from the filled roll merely by raising the tube therefrom or by retracting the tube extension and removing the then disconnected tube from the roll. Conventional roll closing may then be carried out by folding inward the open end 23 of the roll. Throughout the transfer of coins from the tube to roll the tube extension surrounds the open roll end and in effect removably joins the tube and roll so that coins cannot be misplaced or dropped during the exchange. It is but a matter of inverting the connected tube and roll to immediately and safely transfer the stack of coins from tube to roll.

What is claimed is:

1. Coin stacking means comprising a member having a bore therein of a coin diameter and a length equal to the combined thickness of a predetermined number of coins to be rolled, and an extension about the open end of said bore and mounted for movement axially thereof to engage a prefabricated coin roll for transfer of coins to said roll, said extension having a bore larger in cross-sectional extent than the bore of said member and the end portion of said member defining a shoulder against which such roll will abut when inserted in said extension.

2. Coin stacking means comprising a member having a planar surface and defining a bore therein with a diameter equal to the diameter of a predetermined coin and a length from said planar surface equal to the length of a predetermined number of stacked coins, and a hollow extension slidably mounted upon said member about said bore for movement from a position flush with said planar surface to a position in axial extension from said bore and having an interior diameter to receive the open end of a prefabricated coin roll for engaging the latter during transfer of coins from said bore to said roll.

3. Coin counting and packaging means comprising a tube having an open end and predetermined'bore depth from said end for receiving a predetermined number of coins therein to said end, a cylindrical extension slidably engaging the exterior of said tube about the open end thereof and movable between a retracted position flush with the open tube end to an extended position in axial extension of said bore for receiving a coin roll, the inner surface of said extension and the end of said tube defining a transaxial shoulder against which the end of a coin roll may be seated when the extension is in said extended position.

4. Coin counting and packaging means comprising a transparent tube having a planar open end and a restricted end for receiving coins in predetermined number filling same, a cylindrical extension having a planar outer end and mounted about said tube in slidable relation thereto between a retracted position with the planar end thereof in the plane of said open tube end and an extended position in axial extension from said tube for receiving and engaging a prefabricated coin roll therein in axial communication with said tube.

5. Coin counting and packaging means comprising a tube having an open ended bore terminating at a planar tube end and at an internally flanged end with said bore having a diameter substantially equal to a coin diameter and a length from flange to open end equal to the height of a predetermined number of stacked coins whereby said tube is adapted to receive an exact number of coins in stacked relation, said tube having an external indentation adjacent the open end thereof defining an external flange at the open end of said tube, and a hollow cylindrical extension having an internal diameter substantially 'the same as the external tube diameter to slide thereon and an internal projection at a lower end thereof fitting within said external tube indentation for movement between a retracted position flush with the open tube end to an extended position beyond the tube end as limited by engagement of said tube flange and extension projection to fit about the open end of a coin receptacle for the transfer of stacked coins from said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,274,615 Sherwood Aug. 6, 1918 1,534,173 Fogelberg Apr. 21, 1925 1,631,584 Dietrich et a1. June 7, 1927 2,802,325 Capodanno Aug. 13, 1957 2,808,925 ORielly Oct. 8, 1957 

